Spanish film ’20 000 especies de abejas’ nominated for the European Parliament’s LUX Prize

20 000 species of bees (Spain), Fallen Leaves (Finland), In the Adamant (France-Japan), Smoke Sauna Sisterhood (Estonia-France-Iceland) and Teachers’ Lounge (Germany) will compete for the LUX European Film Public Prize, organised by the European Parliament and the European Film Academy.

The five shortlisted films were announced in Venice by five MEPs: Laurence Farreng (Renew, France), Iban García del Blanco (S&D, Spain), Emmanuel Maurel (La Izquierda, France), Salima Yenbou (Renew, France) and ‘Eljana Zovko (EPP, Croatia).

The LUX Prize selection jury, composed of European industry professionals, appointed each year by the European Parliament’s Culture and Education Committee, chose the five finalists. Now it is the turn of European viewers to choose their favourite film on the LUX Prize platform. The winning film will be announced at a ceremony in the European Parliament in March 2024.

The winning feature film is decided by a combination of public and MEP voting, with a 50% weighting each. In the previous edition, the platform received around 45,000 evaluations from citizens across the EU, which, together with the MEPs’ vote, makes the award one of the most popular in the world.

Spain’s Alcarrás to compete for the LUX European Film Audience Award 2023

The finalists

20,000 Species of Bees, by Spanish director Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren, tells the story of an eight-year-old child confused by the way people address her.. During a summer in a village house linked to beekeeping, she explores her gender identity alongside the women of her family who at the same time reflect on their own femininity.

In Fallen Leaves by Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki, two lonely souls searching for love meet by chance one night in Helsinki. Their encounter is hampered by alcoholism, lost phone numbers, misunderstandings and life in general, which has a knack of not always being “just like in the films”.

On the Adamant, by French director Nicolas Philibert, is a documentary about a unique day care centre: a floating structure on the Seine in the heart of Paris. While floating, this place is an anchor in time and space for adults living with mental disorders. The film invites us to get on board and meet the patients and caregivers who bring the centre to life day to day.

Smoke Sauna Sisterhood by Estonian director Anna Hints tells the story of a group of women that gather in the safe darkness of a smoke sauna to share their innermost thoughts and secrets. Enveloped by a warm, dense heat, they bare all to expel fears and shame and regain their strength.

The Teachers’ Lounge directed by Ilker Çatak and produced in Germany, follows Carla, a young and idealistic teacher who decides to investigate a series of unsolved thefts in her school. With the help of a hidden camera, she exposes the thief, but her revelation surprises everyone and confronts Carla with an unsolvable dilemma.

The films were unveiled by Vice President Evelyn Regner (S&D, Austria) and MEPs Laurence Farreng (Renew, France), Ibán García del Blanco (S&D, Spain), Emmanuel Maurel (The Left, France), Salima Yenbou (Renew, France) and Željana Zovko (EPP, Croatia).

Watch and rate

The five nominated films will be screened in cinemas across Europe with subtitles in the EU’s 24 official languages. If you watch the films, don’t forget to evaluate them on the LUX Award’s rating platform. The winning film will be announced in a ceremony at the European Parliament in March 2024.

Organised by the European Parliament and the European Film Academy in partnership with the European Commission and Europa Cinema since 2020, the LUX Audience Award combines the ratings of the European public with the ratings of MEPs, each accounting for 50% of the final result.

The Parliament established the LUX Film Prize in 2007 to help distribute EU films with high artistic quality that reflect cultural diversity in Europe and beyond, and that touch on issues of common concern, such as human dignity, equality, non-discrimination, inclusion, tolerance, justice and solidarity.

More information: European Parliament